Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

अहमाराधयिष्यामि सस्यार्थे वृषभध्वजम् । राज्ये रक्षा विधातव्या भवद्भिः सादरं सदा

Transliteration

ahamārādhayiṣyāmi sasyārthe vṛṣabhadhvajam | rājye rakṣā vidhātavyā bhavadbhiḥ sādaraṃ sadā

Translation

വിളകളുടെ ക്ഷേമത്തിനായി ഞാൻ വൃഷഭധ്വജൻ (ഭഗവാൻ ശിവൻ)നെ ആരാധിക്കും; നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലായ്പ്പോഴും ആദരത്തോടെ രാജ്യരക്ഷ നിർവഹിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ārādhayiṣyāmi: I will worship / propitiate
• ārādhayiṣyāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√radh (राध् धातु, causative/णिच्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative stem)

• sasya-arthe: for the sake of crops
• sasya-arthe: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sasya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (artha), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—सस्यस्य अर्थे (for the sake of crops)

• vṛṣabha-dhvajam: Śiva (bull-bannered)
• vṛṣabha-dhvajam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य ध्वजः वृषभः सः (he whose banner is a bull) = शिवः

• rājye: in the kingdom
• rājye: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rakṣā: protection
• rakṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vidhātavyā: must be provided
• vidhātavyā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√dhā (धा धातु) + tavyat (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधातव्या = ‘to be arranged/should be done’ (agreeing with rakṣā)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (all)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भवत्-शब्द (honorific pronoun-like noun), पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sādaram: respectfully
• sādaram: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa-ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative), ‘respectfully/with care’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘always’

Speaker

The king (addressing his ministers/attendants)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, resolute, addresses ministers: he will worship Śiva (bull-bannered) for crops; ministers bow and accept charge of guarding the realm; in the background, fields and a distant Śiva shrine are hinted.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
• ministers
• kingdom

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic ruler combines devotion with duty: worship to restore prosperity and disciplined governance to protect society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights Śiva worship in the chapter’s setting, but does not name the precise tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Propitiation/worship (ārādhana) of Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja) specifically aimed at restoring agricultural fertility.